NIH Clinical Center Senior Staff

Willy A. Flegel, MD

Biosketch

Bill Flegel earned his medical degree and received a Doctor of Medicine by research (Dr.med., magna cum laude) at the University of Frankfurt, trained in transfusion medicine at the University of Ulm and performed post-doctoral research at University of California at San Diego. He was appointed head of the Immunohematology Department at the German Red Cross Blood Center Ulm and a member of the Medical Faculty, University of Ulm, as Associate Professor (Privatdozent) in 1998 and Professor (apl. Professor) in 2005. He is Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington DC and Visiting Professor, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.

Dr. Flegel has been actively involved in blood transfusion medicine since 1986 and at the forefront of research on Rh antigens since 1994. His many professional activities include founding and coordinating the German Rare Donor Program 1999 – 2009; serving as a member of the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) Working Parties for Rare Donors 2000 – 2010, on Red Cell Immunogenetics and Blood Group Terminology since 2004 and on Immunohematology since 2014; and inventing for patents in the field of molecular immunohematology. He serves as Associate Editor of Transfusion, Senior Editor of J Transl Med and on the editorial boards of Blood Transfusion and Chin Med J. He has published more than 140 articles in scientific journals, authored a medical-legal text book on transfusion medicine and has written several book chapters.

Dr. Flegel came to the NIH Clinical Center Department of Transfusion Medicine (DTM) in 2009 as Chief, Laboratory Services Section. In this role, he directs the Transfusion Services (TSL) and HLA Laboratories. During his tenure, the TSL expanded genotyping for RBC antigens and the HLA Laboratory established KIR gene expression assays. Research interests include blood group genotyping; relationship of genotype, phenotype and function of blood group proteins; stem cell surface antigens in vivo and during ex vivo expansion; and immunogenetics in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

This external link is provided for your convenience to offer additional information. The NIH Clinical Center is not responsible for the availability, content or accuracy of this external site.

The NIH Clinical Center does not endorse, authorize or guarantee the sponsors, information, products or services described or offered at this external site. You will be subject to the destination site’s privacy policy if you follow this link.